There are many different types of experts who can help children deal with persistent bedwetting. To learn more about these modalities, DRI Sleeper has asked Liz Crisp, a Physiotherapist based in Melbourne, Australia, to write this guest blog on how a Paediatric Continence Physio approaches bedwetting in children. Bed-wetting, or Nocturnal Enuresis, is a common, often frustrating, and sometimes confusing condition that can be treated very effectively when the mechanisms behind the incontinence are understood. Enuresis is defined as ‘involuntary micturition (wees) occurring at night while asleep ..read more

We are often asked for help by parents whose children are deep sleepers.  These children may sleep right through the bedwetting alarm even though it wakes the rest of the family! If this is a problem for your child then this blog will give you some strategies to help him or her respond to the alarm in their sleep. Preparing your child for using a bedwetting alarm The most important thing to do is to practice what your child needs to do when the alarm triggers, before they go to bed. This helps develop your child’s ‘prospective or future memory’.  A common example of how this works is ..read more

Bedwetting alarms are the only proven method to cure bedwetting in up to 75% of children who suffer primary nocturnal enuresis. But before you rush online to purchase an alarm what should you check first to ensure that your child will be successful too? 1. Are there any other factors involved in your child’s bedwetting? Bedwetting may be caused by several things: Urinary Tract Infection; Constipation or faecal incontinence; Low levels of anti-diuretic hormone (ADH) which results in too much urine production at night, or, an overactive bladder with small capacity, or, all three symptoms togeth ..read more

Deep sleep isn't a cause of bedwetting, but it is more common for children who are deep sleepers to wet the bed, and may take longer to treat. Using a bedwetting alarm is still the best deep sleep bedwetting solution. These special approaches will help your heavy sleeper become dry at night. Contents Keep scrolling or choose the section that interests you. How to use a bedwetting alarm with a heavy sleeper Practice the alarm response Diagram: How to practice with the alarm Waking the parent first Tips: The 5 Ps Troubleshooting: what's going wrong? Lose the 'lifting' Drink for a dry b ..read more

It is normal for children to still have the occasional accident after completing night toilet training successfully. If your child starts bedwetting regularly again after being dry for more than 14 days, here’s what to try. Start using the bedwetting alarm again, in conjunction with the Overlearning Procedure – this will help reinforce the connection.   The Overlearning Procedure For the overlearning procedure to be of benefit, it requires that for the first 7 nights you give your child a glass of water (at least 250mls) before they settle down to sleep. As a result, they will need to go ..read more

Enuresis Alarms Enuresis is a medical term for involuntary urination, particularly by children during sleep. So, Enuresis Alarm is another name for a kid’s Bedwetting Alarm. ‘Involuntary’ is the keyword here. Kids who wet the bed can’t help it. They are unaware of their full bladders during sleep, so the bladder just empties of its own accord. This is when an alarm can provide bedwetting help. Why would I want an alarm to wake my child when they wet the bed…it’s already too late by then? Lots of parents don’t ‘get’ what a bedwetting alarm is about and how it can be used to help with bedwetting ..read more

The environmental aspects of stopping bedwetting Many parents and caregivers will use plastic-lined disposable diapers or pull-ups for their bedwetting child. The use of these pull-ups can continue up to the age of 10 and beyond. Calculating from the age of 5 (when bedwetting is considered to be a problem worth solving) through the age of 10 years, using one pull-up per day, 2200 pull-ups will be used by one bedwetting child in that time. In the USA, for example, there are approximately 7-9 million bedwetters over the age of 5 years, and, with one pull-up per day per child, that is around 3,00 ..read more

Parents’ concerns about bedwetting are often dismissed It is very common for concerns about a child’s bed wetting to be dismissed out of hand by well-intentioned family and friends. The advice is often that they will just “grow out” of it.   My doctor told me not to worry. Medical professionals often reassure parents that everything is normal and not to worry – however, is this treating the parent rather than treating the child? Some GP’s and nurses may not be trained in modern best practice when it comes to bedwetting, and it isn’t high on their list of priorities because it is a re ..read more

Young boys are naturally into all sorts of things, and as a parent, keeping tabs on everything your young boy is up to might seem like a daunting task. With their bouncy, naturally curious nature and uncanny interest in many worldly things, boys are a challenge with much reward. Their busy nature and keenness to engage in any activity can often be adversely affected by bed wetting, so it’s always a good idea to identify and treat the problem early. Would your son wish to miss out on a birthday sleepover because of his fear of bedwetting? No parent would agree with this. With this said however ..read more

Back in the day I couldn’t wait for the school holidays to arrive. My friends and I would be planning sleepovers and midnight feasts well in advance and there were school camps we would go on or, sometimes, a family holiday to visit relatives or family friends. In short school holidays were the highlight of the year. Fast forward decades to my own children and school holidays took on a whole new complexion…with bedwetters in tow. Not their fault but it did put a damper on the away from home activities and meant that they could not easily go on sleepovers like their dry siblings. School camps n ..read more